Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

महापाराकमेतद्धि चतुर्थं परिकथ्यते । एतेषामेकमपि च नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा

Transliteration

mahāpārākametaddhi caturthaṃ parikathyate | eteṣāmekamapi ca nārī vā puruṣo'pi vā

Translation

Dies heißt Mahāpārāka und wird als das vierte (Gelübde) bezeichnet. Ob Frau oder Mann — wenn jemand auch nur eines von diesen (Übungen) auf sich nimmt…

Word by Word

• महापाराकम्: Mahāpārāka
• महापाराकम्: Karma/Topic (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापाराक (प्रातिपदिक; महा-पाराक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• चतुर्थम्: fourth
• चतुर्थम्: Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण

• परिकथ्यते: is spoken of/is described
• परिकथ्यते: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• एतेषाम्: of these
• एतेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक/विशेषण

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (inclusory/emphatic)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject option/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject option/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāpārāka (vrata set)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mixed assembly of devotees—women and men—each adopting a chosen discipline (fasting, lamp-offering, tulasī service), unified by devotion before Viṣṇu.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāpārāka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a single sincere observance among the prescribed vows can become spiritually transformative, regardless of gender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya framework; the immediate focus is the Mahāpārāka observance linked to the local sacred setting of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The Mahāpārāka is identified as a major observance; the verse emphasizes eligibility (women and men) and that even one such discipline is efficacious.